# Henry David Thoreau Quotes

American naturalist and essayist, author of Walden and Civil Disobedience. (1817-1862)

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately.
Henry David Thoreau
The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.
Henry David Thoreau
It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
Henry David Thoreau
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau
Simplify, simplify.
Henry David Thoreau

## More quote collections

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](/emerson-quotes/) · [Mark Twain](/twain-quotes/) · [Oscar Wilde](/wilde-quotes/)

[All quotes](/quotes/) · [Quote of the day](/quote-of-the-day/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Who was Henry David Thoreau?

American naturalist and essayist, author of Walden and Civil Disobedience. This page collects their most famous quotes in one place.

### What is the most famous quote by Henry David Thoreau?

One of the most quoted lines by Henry David Thoreau is: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately." You will find it and 4 more famous quotes below.

### Can I use Henry David Thoreau quotes in my work?

Short famous quotations can generally be shared and reused with credit to their author. The quotes on this page are shown with their authors so you can attribute them properly.